1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to liquid dispensers. More particularly, this invention relates to a combination battery powered and manually operable liquid tap dispenser.
2. State of the Art
It is difficult to dispense liquid from a large container such as a large jug or a barrel to a smaller container such as a cup because the large containers are often too heavy to be lifted like a bottle. Traditionally, liquids have been dispensed from large containers via a “tap”, i.e. a valved spout located at or near the bottom of the container. The user places or holds a cup under the spout and opens the valve. When the cup is filled to the desired level, the valve is closed. Sometimes, a tap is arranged over a surface so that the user can place the cup on the surface and then operate the valve with one hand without having to hold the cup with the other hand. Other times the tap is arranged at the edge of a table where there is no surface close enough to the tap to place the cup. In these arrangements, the user must hold the cup under the tap with one hand while operating the valve with the other hand.
There are known beverage dispensers which have tap valves coupled to a lever which extends down behind the spout. The user holds a cup under the spout and pushes the lever forward with the cup to activate the tap valve. One problem with these taps is that the liquid dispensed from the tap sometimes spills onto the user's hand.
Recently there has been a trend to provide large liquid detergent containers with a tap dispenser. These containers typically sit on a shelf or a table in a laundry room with the tap extending over the edge of the shelf or table. As such, the lever arrangement of beverage dispensers cannot be implemented because the table/shelf edge would impede movement of a lever.